This year, the Old Rochester Regional girls soccer team isn’t just playing for themselves but for Cameron J. Goulart, who passed away in January from cerebral palsy.

Kaleigh Goulart, Cameron’s sister, is on the soccer team. “Cameron was such an important part of our family. He kept us grounded. Although Cameron had many medical challenges, his amazing strength and courage inspired not only his family but so many throughout his life,” Kaleigh said.

The Cameron’s Kids organization donated armbands to every varsity player this year, making it a part of their uniform.

Debbie Goulart, Kaleigh and Cameron’s mother, said: “We feel honored to be able to provide the team with these armbands. They are a symbol of Cameron’s strength and courage and we hope this will provide the same for the team.” The armbands are blue; Cameron’s favorite color.

So far, the team has had a strong start, winning four out of five games. “There is great potential  for this team. They have a lot of skill, and if they commit to each other and work hard, we should continue to grow throughout the season,” Coach Jeff Lombard said.

Lombard says he expects the girls to push themselves.

This season Bailey Truesdale, a junior, leads the team as a captain for the first time. Truesdale said a scrimmage against Dartmouth during the preseason was a great way to start off. “We really came out with a ‘bang’ and never gave up!”

An increased focus on fitness has contributed to that success. “When we do fitness it really benefits us as a team. It helps us all stay in good shape for games,” said sophomore Sarah Beaulieu. Sarah, a midfielder for the team, has been playing soccer since she was four.

Sarah returns this year and is a key contributor when it comes to scoring, and she has seven goals this season.

The team’s goalie, Mikayla Demanche, has allowed one goal all season: “We’re working well together. Communication is a must, especially with the defense. It’s getting better and better each day.”

Mikayla says her biggest challenge is getting the defense on the same page as the other players to play as a team.

“From my point of view, our formation looks good. We are strong. We haven’t run into any teams that know how to react to our midfield yet. "Although we are still having some troubles with gaps, we are doing a good job letting players know their marks,” she said.

Senior Emily Beaulieu is also a captain. “I love being a captain. It’s truly rewarding and feels good to have this position. At the same time, it absolutely has its ups and downs,” she said. “You have to deal with the players, angry parents, and you have to be prepared to be talked about.”

“Being captain my last year is an awesome feeling, and its a great way to leave,” Sarah said, adding she’ll mostly miss her teammates and playing with her sister, Sarah.

The third captain, Morgan Dasilva, said she is fond of her team. “We have so much potential. We have many skilled players and once we start communicating more, we will keep improving,” she said.

Morgan says it’s an honor to be a captain for the team, and she will miss them when she leaves for college.

According to the girls, the team will continue to improve and has high hopes for competing in the South Coast Conference. And the team is focused on playing well enough to earn a berth in the state playoff tournament.